We Believe in God - Lesson 4 - Study Guide

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We Believe in God
Study Guide
LESSON
FOUR GODS PLAN AND WORKS
We Believe in God
Lesson 4: Gods
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2015 by Third Millennium Ministries www.thirdmill.org
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CONTENTS
HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND STUDY GUIDE ................................................. 3
NOTES ............................................................................................................................... 4
I. INTRODUCTION (0:20)........................................................................................... 4
II. PLAN OF GOD (2:16)............................................................................................... 4
A. Biblical Perspectives (3:21) ................................................................................. 4
1. Divine Immanence (5:46) .............................................................................. 5
2. Divine Transcendence (13:19) ....................................................................... 6
B. Theological Positions (20:34) .............................................................................. 7
1. Extreme Outlooks (21:40).............................................................................. 7
2. Centrist Outlooks (30:19) .............................................................................. 9
III. WORKS OF GOD (44:24)....................................................................................... 12
A. Creation (45:13) ................................................................................................. 12
1. Invisible Dimensions (50:22) ....................................................................... 13
2. Visible Dimensions (59:29) ......................................................................... 16
B. Providence (1:07:00) .......................................................................................... 18
1. Importance of Second Causes (1:09:28) ...................................................... 18
2. God and Second Causes (1:17:49) ............................................................... 20
IV. CONCLUSION (1:28:13) ........................................................................................ 21
REVIEW QUESTIONS ................................................................................................. 22
APPLICATION QUESTIONS ...................................................................................... 24
GLOSSARY..................................................................................................................... 25
We Believe in God
Lesson 4: Gods Plan and Works
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HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND STUDY GUIDE

This study guide is designed for use in conjunction with the associated video lesson. If
you do not have access to the video, the study guide will also work with the audio and/or
text versions of the lesson. Additionally, the lesson and study guide are intended to be
used in a learning community, but they also can be used for individual study if necessary.
Before you watch the lesson

o Prepare Complete any recommended readings.
o Schedule viewing In the Notes section of the study guide, the lesson
has been divided into sections that correspond to the video. Using the time
codes found in parentheses beside each major division, determine where to
begin and end your viewing session. IIIM lessons are densely packed with
information, so you may also want to schedule breaks. Breaks should be
scheduled at major divisions.
While you are watching the lesson
o Take notes The Notes section of the study guide contains a basic
outline of the lesson, including the time codes for the beginning of each
section and key notes to guide you through the information. Many of the
main ideas are already summarized, but make sure to supplement these
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you to remember, describe, and defend the main ideas.
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or replay the video at certain points in order to write additional notes,
review difficult concepts, or discuss points of interest.
After you watch the lesson
o Complete Review Questions Review Questions are based on the basic
content of the lesson. You should answer Review Questions in the space
provided. These questions should be completed individually rather than in
a group.
o Answer/discuss Application Questions Application Questions are
questions relating the content of the lesson to Christian living, theology,
and ministry. Application questions are appropriate for written
assignments or as topics for group discussions. For written assignments, it
is recommended that answers not exceed one page in length.
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Notes
I. Introduction (0:20)
II. Plan of God (2:16)
A. Biblical Perspectives (3:21)

The Scriptures use several different Hebrew and Greek terms related to the
theological concept of God's plan or plans.
Old Testament families of Hebrew words:
o chashav ( ) to think, to plan, to determine
o zamam ( ) to purpose, to plan
o yaats ( ) to give counsel, to decree
o rahtsown ()
pleasing, favorable
o chaphets ) ( pleasing
New Testament Greek terms:
o boul () purpose, counsel, decree, will
o prothesis () purpose, plan
o thelma () will, desire
o eudokia () pleasure
The Scriptures often use similar terminology to signify different concepts

and different terminology to signify similar concepts.
We Believe in God
Notes 5
1. Divine Immanence (5:46)
The Bible teaches that God is immanent; he condescends and fully

engages his finite, temporal and changing creation.
Passages that focus on God planning as a dimension of his

immanent engagement with creation:
Jeremiah 18:7-8 God makes many historical plans

(chashav) that come and go as he interacts with his
creation.
Luke 7:30 God's divine purpose (boul) within a

particular historical setting can be rejected.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 God's will (thlema) can be given

as specific instruction.
Theologians often call this type of biblical instruction the

"prescriptive will of God," or God's prescribed commands.
God's prescriptive will is often unfulfilled because his creatures

disobey what he commands.
Matthew 23:37 Jesus longed (thlema) to save his people,

but they "were not willing."
The historical plans of God are finite, temporal and quite often
changeable.
We Believe in God
Notes 6
2. Divine Transcendence (13:19)
Scripture also speaks of Gods plan in ways that reflect his divine
transcendence.
Passages that depict God's plan in sharp contrast to his historical

engagements with creation:
Isaiah 46:10 God's purpose (yaats) and pleasure

(chaphets) are unchanging, and cannot fail.
Job 42:2 God "can do all things; no plan (zamam) can

be thwarted."
Ephesians 1:11 God works out his plan (prothesis) "in

conformity with the purpose (boul) of his will (thlema)."
God's plan is:
o all-encompassing (includes everything)

o eternal
o unfailing (cannot be thwarted)
Acts 2:23 God's "deliberate plan" (boul)
Acts 4:28 God's "will" (boul)
Hebrews 6:17 God's "purpose" (boul)
These verses refer to the "decretive will of God" what God has
ordained as a firm decree, something that will happen without fail.
John 6:39-40 The will (thlema) of God is his sovereign

decree; it cannot be frustrated, or overturned.
We Believe in God
Notes 7
B. Theological Positions (20:34)

Many Christians have emphasized only one side or the other of how the
Scriptures speak of God planning.
1. Extreme Outlooks (21:40)
Fatalistic Theology
"Fatalism" explains everything that happens in history

almost exclusively in terms of Gods transcendent plan.
Fatalism fails to give due weight to what the Bible teaches

about Gods plans as he interacts with creation.
Those who adhere to this view answer several key

questions in these ways:
o Does God plan something and then set it aside
while interacting with creation? Never.
o Are Gods counsel or decrees ever frustrated? Of

course not.
o Can the will and pleasure of God ever be thwarted?

Impossible.
When the Bible indicates other answers, fatalists argue that

it merely describes events as they appear, not as they are.
We Believe in God
Notes 8
Open Theology
This view explains nearly everything that happens in terms

of Gods immanence.
Open theology fails to give due weight to Gods eternal,

all-encompassing, unfailing plan.
In this view, other than a few events, the success of Gods

plans depends entirely on history and the choices of spirits
and human beings.
Open theists generally answer key questions in these ways:
o Does God have an all-encompassing, eternal, and

unfailing plan for history? No.
o Are Gods counsel and decrees ever frustrated by

human rebellion? Its almost always possible.
o Can the will and pleasure of God ever be thwarted?

Quite often.
Open theists insist that God's eternal, unfailing plan only

refers to a few select events.
We Believe in God
Notes 9
2. Centrist Outlooks (30:19)
The mainstream of systematic theology has affirmed both sides of

what the Scriptures teach about Gods plan:
God has an all-encompassing, eternal, and unfailing plan

for history.
As God engages his creation, he forms many plans that are

limited in scope, temporal and changing.
Evangelicals that hold to centrist outlooks would answer

key questions in these ways:
o Does God have an all-encompassing, eternal and

unfailing plan for history? Yes.
o Does God make specific plans as he involves

himself in the course of history? Yes.
o Will the eternal plan, purpose, counsel, decrees,

will and pleasure of God be accomplished without
fail? Yes.
o But can Gods historical plans, purposes, counsel,

decrees, will and pleasure be thwarted? Yes.
Evangelical theology has sought to affirm both Gods

transcendent, eternal plan and his immanent, historical plans.
We Believe in God
Notes 10
Differences among those who endorse centrist outlooks:
Order of Eternal Decrees
The "order of Gods decrees" refers to the logical order of

the elements involved in Gods eternal plan for history.
o supralapsarianism "above (supra) the fall

(lapsus)"
Gods decree to save his people should be placed

before his decree to permit humanity's fall into sin:
1) The decree to save

2) The decree to create
3) The decree to permit the fall
4) The decree to accomplish and offer redemption
5) The decree to apply redemption in Christ
o infralapsarianism "beneath (infra) the fall

(lapsus)"
Gods decree to save his people should be placed

after his decree to permit humanity's fall into sin:

o sublapsarianism "under (sub) the fall (lapsus)"
The decree to save came after Gods decree to offer

redemption, not before:

We Believe in God
Notes 11
Most evangelicals recognize that the logical order of eternal

decrees is beyond what God has revealed in Scripture.
Eternal Decrees and Foreknowledge
Three New Testament passages highlighted in these

discussions:
o Acts 2:23 Christ's crucifixion was according to

Gods deliberate plan and foreknowledge.
o 1 Peter 1:1-2 Gods elect have been chosen

according to the foreknowledge of God.
o Romans 8:29 those God foreknew he also

predestined.
Two ways evangelicals have applied these passages:
o Gods foreknowledge was the basis of his decrees.
God knew the course of history and, on this basis,

decreed the eternal plan by which all events would
unfold without fail.
OR
o Gods decrees are the basis of his foreknowledge.
God planned or decreed everything that would

happen in history, which gave him foreknowledge
of everything that would happen in history.
We Believe in God
Notes 12
Despite debate, theologians can agree that Scripture teaches

that God foreknows everything, and has foreordained
everything.
We, indeed, place both doctrines [of foreknowledge and

eternal decrees] in God, but we say that subjecting one to
the other is absurd (John Calvin, Institutes of the
Christian Religion, 3.21.5).
Both views reflected in centrist evangelical outlooks are crucial to

the Christian life:
Everything in life takes place as God has ordained.
God turns history in one direction or another, often

depending on the choices we make.
III. Works of God (44:24)
A. Creation (45:13)
God created all things ex nihilo or out of nothing (Genesis 1:1; John 1:3;
Hebrews 1:2).
This understanding of creation is a rejection of:
Polytheism gods or god-like forces joined with God in the work

of creation.
Pantheism identification of God with his creation.
Dualism creation has existed from all eternity alongside God.
We Believe in God
Notes 13
Systematic theologians recognize a two-fold division of creation: "heaven

and earth," or "visible and invisible" (Colossians 1:16; Genesis 1:1).
Creation is Gods cosmic palace or temple, with heaven above and earth
below, the invisible above and the visible below (Isaiah 66:1).
Israels temple was modeled after this twofold arrangement of the

creation:
the most holy place, or "the holy of holies" represented Gods

reign in the upper, invisible realms of creation.
"the holy place" and "the outer court" represented the lower,
visible realms of creation.
The goal of history is that God's glorious reign in the upper, invisible
world will fill all of creation, above and below, so that every creature will
worship him forever.
1. Invisible Dimensions (50:22)
Arrangement
The preternatural world:

o heaven or the heavens
o realms that are invisible to human beings, except
when God grants supernatural visions of them.
We Believe in God
Notes 14
The invisible, heavenly realms are arranged as the upper,

exalted dimensions of Gods cosmic palace:
o God's "roof chamber" (Psalm 104:3)
o "heaven, [God's] dwelling place" or "heaven, the

place of [Gods] enthronement" (1 Kings 8:30)
o "[God's] lofty throne, holy and glorious" (Isaiah

63:15)
o "the third heaven"; a "paradise [of] inexpressible

things" (2 Corinthians 12:2)
o "the highest heavens" (Deuteronomy 10:14; Psalm

115:16)
Occupants
God is the most glorious of all the occupants of heaven.
Heaven is a place where God sits on a throne and engages

his heavenly creatures (1 Kings 8:27; Job 1:6-12; Daniel
7:9-11; Luke 22:31).
Jesus sits at the right hand of God the Father in the court of
heaven. (Acts 2:31-33).
We Believe in God
Notes 15
Heaven is filled with the departed souls of the faithful, as

well as with spiritual creatures:
o "spirits" (Matthew 8:16; Hebrews 1:14)
o "sons of God" (Psalm 29:1; 89:6)
o "holy ones" (Psalm 89:5,7; Zechariah 14:5)
o "messengers" (Daniel 4:13; Psalm 91:11)
o "armies" or "hosts" (Psalm 148:2; Daniel 8:10)
o Some spirits are assigned responsibility for nations

on earth (Psalm 82)
o Gabriel, Michael prominent angelic leaders,

serving God on behalf of his chosen people
o Cherubim serve as guardians of Gods holiness
o Seraphim minister before the throne of God
Like the rest of creation, all of the heavenly spirits were

first created good.
The "elect angels" remain faithful to God (1 Timothy 5:21),

but some spirits rebelled against him (John 8:44; 1 Timothy
3:6; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6).
Satan and the other evil spirits continue to participate in the

heavenly court (Job 1:6-12; Psalm 82; 2 Chronicles 18:18-
22).
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Notes 16
A place of eternal judgment has been prepared for fallen

angels in the netherworld, along with human beings who
rebel against God.
2. Visible Dimensions (59:29)
Arrangement
Systematic theologians use Genesis 12 to discern how

God arranged the visible aspects of his palace:
o Day 1: day and night; light and darkness
o Day 2: sky and seas
o Day 3: dry land and plant life
Occupants
At times, occupants of the invisible heavens appear in the

visible world to serve God's divine purposes.
The Bible also reports "theophanies" visible

appearances of God himself.
We Believe in God
Notes 17
Genesis 1 focuses primarily on the visible occupants of the

physical world:
o Day 1: light and darkness Day 4: sun, moon, and

stars
o Day 2: sky and sea Day 5: birds and sea

creatures
o Day 3: dry land and plant life Day 6: animals

and human beings
Only humanity has the special role of being the image and
likeness of God (Genesis 1:28).
The goal of history was for the perfection, beauty and

holiness of Eden to extend to the far reaches of the earth.
The primary instrument for this expansion of God's

holiness and glory was humanity, his image and likeness.
When Christ returns, he will fill the earth with Gods holy
images and make all things new (Philippians 2:10-11).
We Believe in God
Notes 18
B. Providence (1:07:00)
The Latin term providentia speaks of God attending to, sustaining, or

taking care of creation as he works out his eternal plan.
Distinction theologians make when speaking about providence:
God as the "First Cause" the ultimate cause behind everything

that happens in history
"second causes" different facets of the invisible and visible

realms that also cause events to occur in history
1. Importance of Second Causes (1:09:28)
"Although, in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the

first Cause, all things come to pass immutably, and infallibly; yet,
by the same providence, he ordereth them to fall out, according to
the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or
contingently" (Westminster Confession of Faith, 5.2).
The expression to fall out, according to the nature of second

causes has been the cause of much debate by theologians:
Some have argued that God is not just the "first Cause," but the
one and only Cause (God as the "Cosmic Puppeteer").
We Believe in God
Notes 19
Scripture confirms that God sustains all of creation and that In

him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28).
Scripture also teaches that God grants certain facets of creation the
ability to function as significant second causes of historical events.
Three ways that aspects of creation function as historical causes:
"necessarily" the ways many aspects of creation

accomplish God's purposes mechanically, or by consistent
laws of nature (e.g., Genesis 8:22).
"freely" functions of second causes that are not

mechanical, but are not necessarily intended (e.g., Exodus
21:13; 1 Kings 22:29-34).
"contingently" the ways that the intentional choices of

human beings and spirits cause things to happen in history
(e.g., Genesis 2:17; Romans 10:9).
We Believe in God
Notes 20
2. God and Second Causes (1:17:49)
"God, in his ordinary providence, maketh use of means, yet is free

to work without, above, and against them, at his pleasure"
(Westminster Confession of Faith, 5.3).
Two distinctions of God's providence made in the Confession:
Ordinary Providence
God ordinarily "make[s] use of means," or works through

the second causes he has created. (e.g., Romans 10:14-15;
Psalm 103:20-21).
God's use of means leads systematic theologians to the

subject of "theodicy": the vindication of Gods goodness in
view of the existence of evil.
Two ways God's ordinary providence helps us grasp how

God can be holy and good when evil exists in his creation:
o God is sovereign over evil (e.g., Job 1:6-12; Luke

22:31-32; Matthew 6:13).
o God himself never causes evil (James 1:13-14).
We Believe in God
Notes 21
The responsibility of evil rests on second causes that rebel

against the commands of the One who made them.
Extraordinary Providence
God is also free to work without, above, and against

[means], at his pleasure.
o without means: God does things directly in history.
o above means: God goes beyond the normal effects

of second causes.
o against means: God reverses the ordinary results of

second causes.
The Bible highlights many examples of God's extraordinary

providence.
Even today, God is free to do things in ways that we do not

expect.
IV. Conclusion (1:28:13)
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Review Questions
1. What do the Scriptures say about God planning in relation to his imminence? What
do they say in relation to his transcendence? Cite specific examples from Scripture to
support your response.
2. There are a variety of theological positions related to God's plan. Explain two
extreme views, and then describe centrist evangelical outlooks on this subject.
We Believe in God
Review Questions 23
3. In verses like Colossians 1:16, we see the initial twofold division that God established
in creation. What is this twofold division, and what does it mean that creation is God's
cosmic palace or temple?
4. What does the word "providence" mean? What does God's work of providence entail,
and how does God accomplish his providence in the world?
We Believe in God
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Application Questions
1. To what extent can human beings influence God and his actions? How does this
shape your understanding of God's sovereignty?
2. What does it mean for God to change his mind? Support your answer with
references from Scripture.
3. Think of a time when you or someone close to you disobeyed God. What were the
immediate consequences? What effect do you think this disobedience has had, or
will have, on God's plans for you or your loved one?
4. How can we avoid both fatalism and open theology in our preaching and
ministry?
5. Review the different views on the order of God's decrees. Which view seems
most logical to you? Why? What difference does your view make in your life and
ministry?
6. The Scriptures teach that God foreknows everything and that he has foreordained
everything, including eternal salvation. What do you believe is the basis for Gods
decrees? Are they based on his knowledge of our choices or simply on his good
pleasure?
7. Is it freeing or limiting to know that God has an eternal plan for you and his
creation? Explain your response.
8. How should the twofold division of creation and the understanding that all of
creation is God's cosmic palace influence your life and ministry?
9. Demons exist and impact our world in a variety of ways. How should we as
believers contend with the demonic forces around us in our life and ministry?
10. Only humanity has been made in the image and likeness of God. What does this
mean to you personally? How should this truth affect the way we treat others who
are different from us?
11. Even though God is the primary (first) cause of all things, he works through a
variety of second causes to accomplish his purposes. How does this fact both
comfort and challenge you?
12. How would you explain to someone else that God is holy and good when evil
exists in his creation?
13. The lesson teaches that faithful followers of Christ should expect to experience
God's extraordinary providence. Have you witnessed God's extraordinary
providence in your own life? If so, how did this experience change you?
14. What is the most significant thing you learned in this lesson?
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Glossary
boul Greek term (transliteration) for "purpose," open theism Theological outlook that says the success
"counsel," "decree," will of Gods plans, purposes, and will are entirely dependent
on history, especially on the choices that spirits and
Calvin, John (1509-1564) French theologian and key human beings make
Protestant Reformer who wrote Institutes of the Christian
Religion pantheism Belief that identifies God with his creation
chaphets Hebrew term (transliteration) meaning polytheism Belief in multiple gods

"pleasing"
preternatural The realm of existence that is beyond or
chashav Hebrew term (transliteration) meaning "to beside nature; includes invisible spirits such as angels and
think," "to plan," "to determine" demons
divine attributes The perfections of Gods essence prothesis Greek term (transliteration) for "purpose,"
revealed through a variety of historical manifestations "plan
providence God's active involvement in history as he
divine immanence Attribute of God referring to his
works out his eternal plan for his creation and the welfare
closeness to man and creation; Gods active involvement
of his people.
in space and time
providentia Latin term meaning "attending to,"
divine transcendence Attribute of God indicating that "sustaining," "taking care of"
he is superior to man and above all the limitations of the
created universe, including space and time rahtsown Hebrew term (transliteration) meaning
"pleasing," "favorable"
dualism Theory that reduces a subject to the mutual
existence of two opposing principles or entities second causes Theological term for different facets of
creation that (in addition to the First Cause) cause events
eudokia Greek term (transliteration) for "good- to occur in history
pleasure," favor
shamayim Hebrew term (transliteration) for "heaven,"
ex nihilo Latin term meaning "out of nothing" "the heavens," "sky"
fatalism A view of the future that simply accepts what sub Latin term meaning "under"
is to come because the events are inevitable; in this view,
God is impersonal and does not interact with man sublapsarianism Belief that Gods decree to save his
people came after his decree to permit the fall of
First Cause Theological term for God as the Creator humanity into sin, and that his decree to save came after
and ultimate cause behind everything that happens in his decree to offer redemption
history
supra Latin term meaning "above"
foreknowledge God's knowledge prior to creation of
supralapsarianism Belief that Gods decree to save his
events that would occur in the course of history
people came before his decree to permit the fall of
Hellenistic Of or relating to Greek civilization, culture, humanity into sin
or language, after the time of Alexander the Great thelma Greek term (transliteration) for "will," "desire"
infra Latin term meaning "beneath" Westminster Confession of Faith An ecumenical
doctrinal summary composed by the Westminster
infralapsarianism The belief that Gods decree to save
Assembly of Divines and published in 1647
his people should be placed after his decree to permit the
fall of humanity into sin yaats Hebrew term (transliteration) meaning "to give
counsel," "to decree"
lapsus Latin term meaning "the fall"
zamam Hebrew term (transliteration) meaning "to
purpose," "to plan"
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1

HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND STUDY GUIDE ................................................. 3

REVIEW QUESTIONS ................................................................................................. 22

APPLICATION QUESTIONS ...................................................................................... 24

HOW TO USE THIS LESSON AND STUDY GUIDE

Before you watch the lesson

II. Plan of God (2:16)

A. Biblical Perspectives (3:21)

Old Testament families of Hebrew words:

o chashav ( ) to think, to plan, to determine

o zamam ( ) to purpose, to plan

o yaats ( ) to give counsel, to decree

New Testament Greek terms:

o boul () purpose, counsel, decree, will

o prothesis () purpose, plan

o thelma () will, desire

The Scriptures often use similar terminology to signify different concepts

1. Divine Immanence (5:46)

The Bible teaches that God is immanent; he condescends and fully

Passages that focus on God planning as a dimension of his

Jeremiah 18:7-8 God makes many historical plans

Luke 7:30 God's divine purpose (boul) within a

1 Thessalonians 5:18 God's will (thlema) can be given

Theologians often call this type of biblical instruction the

God's prescriptive will is often unfulfilled because his creatures

Matthew 23:37 Jesus longed (thlema) to save his people,

2. Divine Transcendence (13:19)

Passages that depict God's plan in sharp contrast to his historical

Isaiah 46:10 God's purpose (yaats) and pleasure

Job 42:2 God "can do all things; no plan (zamam) can

Ephesians 1:11 God works out his plan (prothesis) "in

God's plan is:

o all-encompassing (includes everything)

Acts 2:23 God's "deliberate plan" (boul)

Acts 4:28 God's "will" (boul)

Hebrews 6:17 God's "purpose" (boul)

John 6:39-40 The will (thlema) of God is his sovereign

B. Theological Positions (20:34)

1. Extreme Outlooks (21:40)

"Fatalism" explains everything that happens in history

Fatalism fails to give due weight to what the Bible teaches

Those who adhere to this view answer several key

o Are Gods counsel or decrees ever frustrated? Of

o Can the will and pleasure of God ever be thwarted?

When the Bible indicates other answers, fatalists argue that

This view explains nearly everything that happens in terms

Open theology fails to give due weight to Gods eternal,

In this view, other than a few events, the success of Gods

Open theists generally answer key questions in these ways:

o Does God have an all-encompassing, eternal, and

o Are Gods counsel and decrees ever frustrated by

o Can the will and pleasure of God ever be thwarted?

Open theists insist that God's eternal, unfailing plan only

2. Centrist Outlooks (30:19)

The mainstream of systematic theology has affirmed both sides of

God has an all-encompassing, eternal, and unfailing plan

As God engages his creation, he forms many plans that are

Evangelicals that hold to centrist outlooks would answer

o Does God have an all-encompassing, eternal and

o Does God make specific plans as he involves

o Will the eternal plan, purpose, counsel, decrees,

o But can Gods historical plans, purposes, counsel,

Evangelical theology has sought to affirm both Gods